Some 3,000 meals were served by volunteers at the Union Gospel Mission on Monday for Thanksgiving.

Among those who volunteered is a man identified only as Tim. As a former mortgage broker, the successful 52-year-old lost everything after the pressures of life and work drove him to drink.

“Thanksgiving was tough because there was not much gratitude for my life,” said Tim. “I can’t say it was a happy time, it emphasized everything that was wrong in my life.”

But after seeking shelter at UGM’s Downtown Eastside location one night, Tim was inspired to take up the mission’s alcohol- and drug-recovery program. He has since been sober for two years and is employed with UGM’s maintenance crew.

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